Thoughts for a new decade

This last decade, you know, the one that just ended, seems to have been all about war, terror, fear, failure, division, hatred and confusion.

All I want for this decade, or maybe even just today, is for us all to think of things that are good.  That's it.  Good. 
Here is what I think was good in the last decade:
We bought a nice house and fixed it up a bit.
We traveled to many wonderful places and seen many wonderful things.
We met many interesting people and made some good friends.
We mastered the art of home cooked pizza.
We saw the Jayhawks win the national championship (plus two football bowl games, surprisingly enough).
We laughed a lot.
We rode, climbed, hiked, ran, raced, paddled, surfed, boarded, shoed, cooked, ate, drank and loved.

Not such a bad decade afterall.
Wonder what's next.

What's your story.  Please add your thoughts.

Conversations about conversations about conversations from a bar

I am sitting in the bath tonight, sipping wine, watching the water vapors drift like disembodied ghosts from the hot water below to the cold air above and trying to figure out the direction in which this blog, or this writing project, or this life is going.  How do I best document my life and the people and events within?

What am I good at, asshole (I was taught to never end a sentence with a preposition, hence the 'asshole')?  Eating.  Drinking.  Lecturing (that one is from Lael).  Talking.  How to combine all that into a project or a direction to go?

Document.  I have a knack of remembering conversations, but not necessarily details of conversations.  I remember events, but not necessarily exact details of events.  I need help.  So, why not enlist the help of some sort of recording device.  A digital recorder to record the conversations we have.  Some are great and inspiring.  Some are insightful.  Some are mundane.  Some are pure genius.  How do I navigate between the conversations about religion and politics, sports, health and life and those about whether SpongeBob has square pants or if he is the one that is square, making any clothing he uses appear square?  How do I differentiate between the discussions of the vastness of time and space and the lunacy of the vastness of the garbage can that houses Oscar the Grouch?

Another option:  High definition mini camera attached to my head.  Then, after careful filtering, I could broadcast all those fabulous conversations and events that surround us and involve us.  Not only would I love being able to capture all the spontaneity that is life, but I am sure the general public would pay handsomely to see recorded instances of me brushing my teeth and watching television.

I could always attach the camera to my crotch, therefore giving the world a view from a different perspective.  I do believe, though, that no one, including myself, wants to see just what life is like to a real dick and couple of nuts.

So, what's next?  The creation of "Conversations from a Bar."  I have the best inspiration and conversation while sitting in a bar with others.  Hell, I have spent a decent percentage of my life in bars, whether I was drinking or eating or working or sleeping (only happened a few times back in the day).  All I need to do now is work on capturing the essence of the conversation, documenting and then getting enough people to be interested in my view of the world as seen through the conversations in a bar to make me fabulously wealthy.

Should only take a few days, eh.
Bring it.

A truly selfish act

It is my opinion, and you may criticize me as you will, that there is no such thing as a truly selfless act.  After all, we are essentially primal beings that are not capable of seeing anything based upon anything beyond how it affects us personally.


I have said it before, and I will say it again.  If you are honest, then you cannot disagree.


Case in point, a friend of mine has a new boy friend.  Great.  Couldn't be happier.  One thing; he doesn't like things.  Wine.  Good food.  Art.  Culture.  You know, good things, at least as far as this friend thinks.  She wants to change him.  Introduce him to new things.  Convince him that these things are good.


Do you really think she is doing this for selfless reasons?  She wants to improve his life simply for his sake?  No.  I guarantee she does these things simply to be able to enjoy these very things with her new bo.  Selfless.


Secondly, a representative government and the benefit of all the people of a country are two things that can't actually exist.  A representative is human.  She has ambitions.  She thinks she is right.  She wants a career.  She wants to be heard. She wants money.  She wants to be re-elected.  Do you really think she listens to everybody she represents?  I can't blame her for any aspect of this life.  I want the same things.


Democracy depends on a level playing field.  One does not exist.  The rich and the powerful have the louder voices.  They have the collective voices that can only be grouped with wealth.  Do you think the representative listens to the poor fish monger in the same way as she listens to the CEO who can add money to the coffers and help fulfill ambition?  Of course not.  It's not wrong.  It's honest and it's real.


I don't care about what kind of disastrous day you are having.  Of course I am sympathetic, but if it doesn't affect me, who cares?  Sorry.  Love ya.
g 

Technology in the time of terror

We are approaching the end of a decade.
For what will the 00 decade be remembered?
The 70's?  Disco?  Vietnam?  Three's Company?
The 80's?  Regan?  Wall Street?  Berlin Wall?  Space Shuttle?
90's?  Aids?  Grunge?  Lewinsky?

How about the 00's?

This has been the decade of terror and of conflict.  Partisanship, fear and hatred.  Really high highs and really low lows.  With all this said, I just want to send out a note about technology and all the things that have been made obsolete in the decade that will soon be over.  I may even put forth a prediction or two.

US mail
Dial up internet
Good music
Land line telephones
CRT TV's
CDs
VCRs
Well written TV shows
Original movie ideas
Fax machines
Answering machines
Newspapers
Film cameras
Hand written letters
Patience

All that said, I want to offer a few predictions about the next decade or two and about elements of life that may not completely disappear, but will easily become insignificant:  Email will be be made obsolete.  With social networking and texting, it will just be too slow and old fashion.  Movies will be gone or changed forever.  Video games will own the next 20 years as you will be able to insert yourself into the plot of any movie scenario.  Laptop computers?  Gone.  PDA phones and the like will force these things into the history museums.  Radio stations are on the way out.  These are still the love to the older generation.  Digital music availability will bury them even further into obscurity.  Malls.  Why go when you can click?  Wires...for everything.  Printed books.  And more.

Feel free to add your thoughts...as long as they are original.

Subtle Escapism

All good stories are filled with pain and pleasure.  Bitter and sweet.  Suffering and contentment.  Philosophically, you can't have one without the other.

The thing about fantasy, or idealism, is that people are drawn to it because there is something inherently missing or dysfunctional in their lives.  Why read, or watch TV, or go to movies if all is well with the world or with our lives?

I have always thought of myself as the type of person that was happy with life.  Good work.  great love.  Passion.  Happiness.  Everything.  As I sit here watching one of the Star Wars movies, on the right side of the bed, I can't help but wonder; why is it that I am drawn to the idealism of fantasy? Wisdom?  Good over evil?  What?  It could be that I want to escape from something in the mundane.  Could be that I want to pursue a different or better existence in a more idealistic environment.  I guess it could be as simple as the fact that Star Wars came out when I was 6 or so and that we are impressionable at that age.  And, I really liked the droids back then.

Who knows?

Yin and Yang of the Holidays

Ever since I was a boy I was fascinated with human behavior.  And, in my adult life, I have worked in some fascinating businesses and been a part of some very interesting experiences with regards to my interaction with humanity.    

I have worked in advertising, where client management is king.

I have worked in retail, where customer satisfaction is the goal.

I have worked in the service industry, where total human fulfillment is absolutely everything.

I guess, what I am saying is that, I have seen many facets of human behavior and have grown to be sure of one thing:  I have no idea why people do whatever it is they do.

Case in point:  The Holidays.

When dealing with the general public during the holiday season, I continue to be amazed at the shear number of people who are unbelievably kind, generous, loving and respectful.  This is balanced only (and completely) by the great masses of people who have obviously chosen to be incredible assholes.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground.

Merry Christmas.

The greediest generation Vol. 1

Tom Brokaw writes books and travels the world, pounding his chest and lecturing about what he perceives to be the Greatest Generation.  Those about whom he discusses are the ones born into war and born to fight wars.  Depression babies who fought in WWII then came home to build and rebuild the country. My grandparents were a few of these people. He makes several good points, although quite historically one sided.  

My conversation is, and will always be as it relates to these posts, about the generation that was born from that Greatest Generation.  I have labeled these people the Greediest Generation.  I plan to break down these thoughts as the days move along, but for now I will begin by making a gross generalization.  The baby boomers are the source of many of the greatest challenges we are to face over the next decades.

They were handed a country fresh off a WWII victory for which they didn't have to fight.  They were handed a period of incredible economic growth, of which they were not a direct part of building.  They were given family businesses and social safety nets such as Social Security and Medicare by the voting public made up of their parents and grandparents.

What did they do with these assets?  The started and fought unnecessary fights (Vietnam, Iraq, Grenada, Nicaragua, etc).  They took all the money out of the system, basically converting the US from the richest and greatest creditor nation in the world to the greatest debtor nation the world will ever know.  They have used our natural resources with the knowledge that they will not last forever, but without a thought of what future generations will have to do.  They went to college for peanuts, have sold off the family farms and family businesses and bankrupted the social safety nets they were handed but for which they never had to work, effectively insuring future generations will not be able to count on Social Security and Medicare as they are now and as they are enjoyed by this generation.

Again, generalizing, they have taken all the options that were theirs by their perceived birth-right and have succeeded at the cost of, and by limiting the options of, future generations. 

The generation before them worked hard and fought harder to make sure their kids had a better life.  The baby boomers have worked hard, in a world that was built and secured for them, to make sure they have everything they need with little to no respect for those who are to come.

This is the premise.  Over the days, I will try to refine and discuss.  Call it sour grapes if you will...Or jealousy...Or outright anger.  But it's not.  This is merely a profile and a series of observations from the only perspective I have.

Talk hard.